A message from Board of Trust Chairman Bruce R. Evans: Make your voice heard in the Chancellor Search

Aug. 19, 2019, 12:00 PM

To the Vanderbilt community,

The search for Vanderbilt’s ninth chancellor is in full swing. As chairman of the university’s Board of Trust, I have the privilege of overseeing the search process, which is being driven by the Chancellor Search Committee. The Search Committee is being informed by the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee, which is chaired by John Geer, dean of the College of Arts and Science. The search will identify the next person to lead Vanderbilt in pursuit of our academic mission.

Your input is critical. We have designed the search process to be expansive and inclusive—to involve as many perspectives as possible. Already, hundreds of Vanderbilt community members have shared their vision and priorities about the university’s next leader through the feedback form on the Chancellor Search website.

The prevalence of certain words throughout these responses, such as “commitment,” “community,” “integrity” and “inclusion,” speaks volumes about the qualities that matter most—regarding not only our next chancellor, but also the priorities that our new leader will pursue in support of our Academic Strategic Plan.

The feedback form at vu.edu/chancellor-search will be available until Sept. 6. I strongly encourage you to fill it out if you have not done so already.

As we begin a new academic year, and our university’s mission is brought to life across our campus, now is the time to voice your opinions and help shape the course of our university’s future. The best way to ensure our collective success is to leave no stone unturned at this critical phase in the process. Every word of every response matters.

In the coming weeks, there will be many opportunities to take part in the Chancellor Search process, from the feedback form and listening events to the release of our initial findings next month, all of which will be shared on the Chancellor Search website. We are dedicated to making this process as transparent, collaborative and completely successful as possible. And all of that begins with you.